Susan's Christmas Shop Newsletter

Newsletter – Nuremberg 2025

February 24th, 2025

Dear Customers and Friends of Susan's Christmas Shop,

It was a wonderful trip. My daughter, Melissa, and I have recently returned from a buying trip that became a family reunion in Nuremberg, Germany.

It is said that seeing Nuremberg for the first time is like falling in love at first sight. It was especially loved by the Nazi's, and so it was a target during World War II. The Altstadt (the Old City) was rebuilt after the bombing of 1946 destroyed 95% of the Old City. It was rebuilt so well that it is now a major tourist destination. Contemporary businesses like department stores, grocery stores, jewelry stores, Lebkuchen stores, cafes, and world class museums are part of the mix, combining modern styles with those of centuries ago. Underground train stations allow you to enter the Altstadt, using wide steps to reach the picturesque streets, paved with cobbled stone and lined with restored buildings and churches, and market stands selling fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers. A temporary ice skating pond was still up from the recent Christmas season, and people were skating there every day.

Most people walk in the Altstadt and those walking are both locals and visitors. There are several lovely stone bridges across the river.

Valentine's Day at Susan's

First, we went to the Nuremberg Toy Fair, the world's largest wholesale gift show for toys. It was not located in the Altstadt, and we took a train to reach it. This was the business reason for our trip. We were seeking items to delight customers of Susan 's Christmas Shop. We found them, and they will be arriving over the next few months.

Germany has been making toys for the world for centuries. Nuremberg has a fine toy Museum in the Altstadt where you can see antique German toys. We have similar German toys in my shop today, toys that do not need batteries and do not involve modern screens, such as toy villages and trains.

Dolls are always loved by little girls. We found a line of handmade dolls that won the Spielgut (Good Play) award. A German dollmaker, Helma Goety, won the same award long ago for her handmade dolls modeled after my own toddler siblings when we lived in Frankfurt. I once sold these dolls in my shop.

Susan's Christmas Shop Abroad

The blue baby doll is by Helma around 1960.

We were eager to enjoy the famous Nuremberg sausages we remembered from our trip two years ago. These are grilled over a beechwood fire and served with delicious sauerkraut, potatoes, and Nuremberg beer. Large pretzels are often served with the meal.

After our work at the Messe was over, my son, Andrew, and his wife flew from Spain to Nuremberg to be with us, their first time ever to visit Germany. A day later, my college aged two grandsons arrived from Copenhagen, completing our family reunion. Andrew is quite talented in art. He brought me an oil painting he had just finished.

We wanted to see work by Albrecht Durer. I knew there was an Albrecht Durer house, but I assumed it was a rebuilt reproduction. It was not. By a miracle, Albrecht Durer's home survived the bombing. This is an historic photograph from before World War II, beside a picture I just took on this trip. It is five stories tall.

Durer lived here for more than 20 years, until his death in 1528. There are no originals by Durer in the house. Most of his work is either in The Prado in Madrid or in Munich or Vienna, but several fine copies of Durer's work were on display, painted by famous, named copyists. When he was thirteen years old, Durer made this self-portrait. As a young man, he made several more.

Durer also painted animals, like rabbits and squirrels. I bought a tin with Durer's squirrel on it at the visitor's center. I used it first for the famous Lebkuchen, a cookie which has made in Nuremberg for six hundred years. All American military families stationed in Germany become familiar with lebkuchen, which is sold in the PXs (Post Exchanges). I was living there in the late 1950's and early 1960's when I first tasted lebkuchen. It was love at first bite.

Durer also painted a portrait of his beloved teacher from memory after the teacher's death.

This painting was in the German National Museum in the Altstadt.

We stayed in an Airbnb outside the Altstadt, large enough for all six of us. The owner of the apartment told us about a nice little cafe, about ten minutes away by foot. The path led us through an old cemetery surrounded by a stone wall.

We later learned that this is the most famous and celebrated cemetery in Germany. It contains Durer's grave. There is a map that tells where it is located and a sign that points to it. Two hundred years after Durer's death in 1528, a large memorial was held here.

We liked Guri's Cafe so much that we returned several times.

There was a narrow, steep, turning staircase to reach the second floor. Somehow, the waiter brought our cappuccinos in a tray up the staircase! Practice made this possible.

Finally, we found the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, where the famous trial of Nazi war criminals was held. It was not in the Altstadt, but a bit out of town.

We always ate on the second floor, where the exposed roof beams leaned at an angle and simple vigas were wound with climbing green plants.

We also ate at a restaurant that claimed to be six hundred years old. Most of us had more of the traditional sausages, sauerkraut, and beer, but I tried a lovely fondue. Delicious.

Nuremberg Palace of Justice Today

The Famous Nuremburg Trials

The Trials were extremely well documented in the exhibit. Eventually, we were able to enter the actual courtroom and sit down. The famous Opening Statement for the Nuremberg Trial is often quoted there.

"That four great nations, flushed with victory and stung with injury stays the hand of vengeance and voluntarily submit their captives to the judgement of the law is one of the most significant tributes that Power has ever paid to Reason."

Robert H. Jackson

Our family reunion finally ended. The morning of our last day, we visited a lebkuchen shop one block from our Airbnb. It sold our favorite kind, and it opened at 8:00. We were there at 8:00. We will try to import this to sell at Susan's Christmas Shop this Christmas.

Andrew and Maribel flew back to Spain. The rest of us flew to Copenhagen, where one grandson is studying for a Master's. Soon, I will write a letter about the Copenhagen part of our trip. I hope you have enjoyed learning about Nuremberg and Melissa and I hope to return to this special place and special market again.

If you are in Santa Fe this winter season, please stop by Susan's Christmas Shop to see what we ordered. If you live too far away to do this, I send my fond greetings, no matter where you are in this wide world.

Your friend in Santa Fe,

Susan Topp Weber